1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wagering game suitable for use in casinos and other gaming establishments as a live action game, a slot machine game or a video poker game. The invention further relates to casino gaming wherein a single game is played to a single outcome and wherein prior to the game being played, the player has the option of placing different levels of wagers to play the game which alters payout rates according to multiple differing paytables.
2. Background of the Art
Games of chance have been popular for centuries. In the past twenty years, however, the opportunities to wager on such games have multiplied enormously due to the increase in the number of gaming venues, whether “brick-and-mortar” casinos or virtual internet sites. Electronic or machine games have become especially popular, providing more than 75% of total gaming revenues in many casinos.
Machine games are generally categorized as either slot games or video poker games. Slot games may be either the traditional electro-mechanical reel-spinning type, or the multiline video variety. Video poker is differentiated from a slot game in that indicia representing standard playing cards of standard rank and suits are utilized, and the gameplay allows for decision-making opportunities for the player. Whether it be slot or video poker, the wagering game generally encompasses the steps of placing a bet to play the game, determining a final outcome, and resolving any wagers according to a single predetermined paytable.
Intelligent casino table card games are systems in which cards are automatically provided or automatically read by cameras and sensing devices and wagers are automatically read by cameras or sensing devices (e.g., RFID antennae). These technologies have opened venues for the play of games in which variations are available that may be observed, controlled and executed by, software, hardware, processors and/or computers at speeds and accuracy that cannot be achieved by human activity alone.
Slot machines have evolved from having three mechanical reels with a single horizontal pay line centrally disposed on the reels to having numerous reels with a plurality of pay lines. A plurality of symbols is displayed on the reels, and specific predetermined combinations of symbols that result on a wagered pay line in the final outcome are paid according to the predetermined paytable. Although slot machine manufacturers may offer differing payback percentages for any one slot machine game, the casino generally chooses to offer only one payback percentage for any one machine. For instance, a casino may have the choice of offering a particular game on a particular machine with either a payback percentage of 94% to the player (with a casino hold of 6%), a payback percentage of 92% to the player (with a casino hold of 8%), or a payout percentage of 90% to the player (with a casino hold of 10%), and may elect to offer only the 92% payback game. However, in the case of slot machine games that allow the player to make various wagers, (i.e., one coin or multiple same coins; one lowest denomination or higher denominations; one payline or multiple paylines; or combinations thereof), a plurality of payback percentages may be provided, with the higher payback being available for the wager of larger amounts of money or credits per spin. In most cases, the particular specific payback percentage is not made available to the player. Typically only one paytable is offered for any one particular wagered game, with the difference in available payback percentages being calculated by manipulating the frequency of the occurrence of predetermined winning symbol combinations.
The Telnaes patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,419) describes the most common way of mapping symbols, reels and outcomes in video gaming. The Yoseloff patents (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,159,096, and 6,117,009) provides an alternative system for mapping symbols, reels and outcomes in video gaming. These systems provide the mechanism for establishing and performing statistical outcomes, but do not address an ability for changing probabilities based on game events.
In addition to offering different payback percentages for a particular slot machine game, the manufacturer may offer a basic game that has a plurality of variations, with each variation having similar gameplay but having a differing volatility; for example, a game “A” may pay for a predetermined set of symbol combinations, a game “B” may pay for the same said set of symbol combinations (or less combinations than the same said set of symbol combinations) with the addition of a 2× Pay symbol that will produce larger wins but with less frequency, and a game “C” may pay for the same said set of symbol combinations (or less combinations than the same said set of symbol combinations) with the addition of a 3× Pay symbol that will produce the largest wins but with the least frequency. In lieu of or in addition to changing the hit frequency, the slot machine manufacturers may either decrease or increase the payback for certain wins to provide games of different volatility. Again, each of these games “A”, “B” and “C” may be offered with a plurality of differing payback percentages.
As opposed to slot machine games, video poker games are most often offered with a payback percentage based on a displayed paytable that pays predetermined amounts for specific winning hands. For instance, a final outcome of a hand consisting of a full house may pay 9-for-1; a final outcome consisting of a flush may pay 6-for-1. By examining the displayed paytable, a player is able to determine the overall payback percentage provided for that particular game using published data which is readily available in print and on the internet. A plurality of different versions of video poker are commonly available, including Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild, Joker Wild, etc. Each of these versions is available to the casino with differing paytables, which in turn provide the player with different payback percentages. Generally only one paytable is offered to the player on any one game version, although playing higher denomination games or multiple hands of a particular games may provide higher paytables. The various game versions also offer various levels of risk and volatility for the player. For instance, in the game of Jacks or Better, a pay of 3-for-1 may be paid for any 3-of-a-Kind, and 25-for-1 may be paid for any 4-of-a-Kind; in the game of Triple Double Bonus, the 3-of-a-Kind may pay only 2-for-1, while 4 Aces with a low card kicker (a 2, 3 or 4) may pay 800-for-1. Generally games with high enhanced pays for certain rare hands will also pay less for more frequently occurring hands. A larger “bankroll” is usually required to play the more volatile game versions, since the player may experience long periods of losing hands or low-paying hands until finally winning an enhanced pay hand that occurs infrequently.
Some slot machines will offer the same probabilities and odds with all wagers, except that a jackpot wager (e.g., payout for a Royal Flush in video poker games) is paid at an increased payout rate only when the maximum wager (e.g., 5 wagering units) is placed on the game. For example, the payout for a Royal Flush on a 1, 2, 3 or 4 unit bet may be 250:1, and the payout on a Royal Flush with a 5 unit wager may be 800:1 or 1000:1.
To recap the above, in known art one predetermined paytable is offered to the player for the play of any one wagered game on any one specific machine game, whether it be a slot or video poker game. The player makes a wager to play the game, the game is spun or dealt, and a final outcome is determined. Any winning symbol combination(s) or hand(s) is paid according to that predetermined paytable.
Prior art has attempted to create innovative gameplay that seeks to provide new and enticing features that overcome this commonality of machine game play.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,224 (Palmer) describes a gaming device comprising multiple selections having different outcomes. The probability of achieving the first outcome of a first selection is higher than a probability of achieving the first outcome of a second selection. A payout associated with the first outcome of said first selection is lower than a payout associated with the first outcome of said second selection and the probability of achieving the second outcome of said first selection is lower than a probability of achieving the second outcome of said second selection. A payout associated with the second outcome of said first selection is higher than a payout associated with the second outcome of said second selection, wherein the payouts and probabilities are configured such that a total expected value for the first selection at least approximately equals a total expected value for the second selection. A processor causes one of the selections to be selected and determines one of the outcomes for said selected selection, wherein said outcome is determined based on the probabilities associated with said selected selection, and provides a player one of the payouts based on the outcome of the selected selection.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,860,810 (Cannon) teaches a gaming apparatus and methods of conducting a wagering game of chance wherein a gaming machine is disclosed which is configured for mutually concurrent play of a plurality of games of chance on a single display screen, and wherein more than one outcome is determined. The player is provided with a plurality of differing games of chance, at least some of which are mutually concurrently payable on a single screen display of a gaming device. Mutually concurrent play of the plurality of differing games of chance is also offered on the single screen display. Multiple instances of only a single class of game, or a single type of game within a game class is also disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,975 (Fox) describes a card game that is preferably played with a single player playing against a single pay table. The player makes a wager for each of two or more hands that the player wishes to play. The player selects a poker hand version for each hand, with no two hands having the same poker hand version. After the player has made his wagers and the selected the poker hand versions for each hand, the computer deals out each five card hand of poker in each poker version selected by the player. The player selects none, one or more of the face up cards from each hand as cards to be held. The non-selected cards are discarded from each first hand and replacement cards are dealt face for each discarded card. The poker hand ranking of the resulting final five cards of each hand are then determined. The player is then paid a preestablished amount based on the amount of each wager if the resulting cards of each hand comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,613 (Yoseloff) involves the potential for at least two distinct games of poker being playable from a partial hand. The player may then elect to play one or more of the potential games from at least two distinct games of poker available for play with that hand. The nature of the at least two distinct games is that at least two of the games which may be played from the partial hand require decisions to be made where a decision with regard to a election of play strategy in one poker game that is intended to have or assist in getting a positive outcome is likely to have a negative effect or comprises an adverse strategy in the play of the second game. Various pay tables are provided that differ from each other with respect to each single game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,873 (Moody) discloses an electronic video gaming machine and method in which the player may play multiple hands at the same time. The player makes a wager for each separate hand to be played by the player. After an initial deal step, and after any draw and replacement steps, the final poker hand ranking of each five card hand is determined. The player is then paid for any winning poker hands based on a single pay table and the amount of the player's wager.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,419 (Delaney) teaches a method and apparatus for playing card wagering games that enables players to select a single playing card game to be played for a particular wagering round from among multiple playing card game options.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,915 (Kadlic) discloses an electronic video draw poker machine and method in which a four separate five card draw poker hands are displayed at the same time. The game allows the player to discard and draw replacement cards with respect to a particular selected five card hand in an attempt to improve that hand. After the draw step is completed, the final five card hand is compared to a single pay table based on poker hand ranking to determine if the player has achieved a winning combination.
United States Published Patent Application No. 20040017043 (Moody) permits a player to make a wager on a first round of video poker. If the player achieves a winning hand combination on the first round of video poker, the player is offered the opportunity to play one or more hands of video poker against a higher pay table on the next round of video poker. The player may continue to play against the higher pay table as long as the player continues to achieve winning combinations during each round of play. If the player fails to achieve a winning combination during a round of play, the game resets to the initial lower pay table and the player starts over.
United States Published Patent Application No. 20050096121 (Gilliland) describes an apparatus and method for displaying multiple gaming device interfaces for the same wagering game. The game can be slot although other wagering games are also within the scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, the game is played using one of a plurality of different display interfaces, wherein the gaming device enables the player to select which one interface to play. The player can play the game for a while using one interface and then switch interfaces to provide a fresh display or to change the player's luck. The player can then switch back to the original interface or select a brand new interface depending upon how many interfaces overall are provided.
It is desirable to invent new and innovative ways to provide wagering games that allow a player to make multiple wagers simultaneously so that excitement and time on machine are increased. Multiple wagers also provide that larger amounts of money will be in play, and so can increase the casino's profits. All patents and applications cited herein are incorporated in their entirety by reference.